Carlos Tevez had a police escort when he arrived back at Manchester airport on February 14. (Getty Images)

So Carlos Tevez has come crawling back to England, offering apologies to his club Manchester City.

Just over a week after his return to the UK - on Valentine's Day - the Argentina international has finally said sorry for going missing for the past three months, having fallen out with City manager Roberto Mancini.

It’s hard to tell exactly what has gone on behind the scenes in the past seven days at the English Premier League leaders, but Tevez now appears ready to show a commitment that he has notably lacked so far in his highly-paid stint at the Etihad Stadium.

"I wish to apologize sincerely and unreservedly to everybody I have let down and to whom my actions over the last few months have caused offense. My wish is to concentrate on playing football for Manchester City," he said in a statement released on the club’s website on Wednesday.

This is some turnaround considering that last week he told a South American TV show that he had been treated “like a dog” by Mancini when asked to continue warming up as a substitute during a European Champions League match in September. There was no apology in that interview.

Apparently the Italian had been less than polite with his words following a verbal altercation with striker Edin Dzeko, who he had just hauled off the pitch with City losing to Bayern Munich.

Mancini countered last week by saying he had treated Tevez “too well” – alluding to City’s efforts to keep the 28-year-old at the club despite his transfer request midway through last season and constant complaints of being homesick and missing his children. But he said he would give Tevez another chance if he said sorry.

And now, after failing to engineer a move to AC Milan, Inter Milan or Paris Saint-Germain during this season’s January transfer window, Tevez says he is ready to help City try to win a first English title since 1968.

In fact, he has decided not to appeal the hefty fines – reportedly almost £10 million ($15 million) in withheld wages and bonuses – that City imposed for his unauthorized absence.

He was the club’s top scorer last season and has an incredible record of 43 goals in 62 league starts for City, but does Mancini really need such a potentially disruptive influence at this vital stage of the campaign? Someone who has already shown that his first priority is himself, and the team second?

City’s title charge may have slowed in recent weeks but there is still a two-point advantage over rivals Manchester United with 13 games to go, and the squad is getting back to full strength after the Africa Cup of Nations.

Tevez’s compatriot Sergio Aguero has proved a more than capable replacement as both a goalscorer and inspiration up front, while the unpredictable Mario Balotelli – when he is not injured, suspended or sulking – is also a match-winner.

Dzeko has been less consistent but has still contributed 12 goals, even if 10 of those came before the start of December.

Given Tevez’s lack of match fitness – City reported that he will be going on a special program to remedy that situation – he might struggle to get a game anyway.

So what would you do in the position of Mancini – who last year said his former captain Tevez was finished at the club? Would you give a leopard the chance to change his spots? Or leave him in the doghouse?

soundoff(40 Responses)

Tevez should be punished severely, his contract revised, and ultimately he has to be traded at the end of the season. If he can return to the team whenever he decides to it would be a bad example for others to follow. Soccer is a business and he was acting unprofessionally. Sell him to Malaga or PSG.

If there is one thing Tevez has amply demonstrated during his time at Manchester City, it is precisely a lack of committment to the club. How many times have we read about Tevez wanting to leave the club? The lack of commitment didn't start that night against Bayern Munich. As things stand, Man City are on course to win the EPL without him this season, so why take him back? Plus, I am not convinced the mood in the dressing room would necessarily improve if he came back. I must say I find it interesting that this sudden commitment to the club – which had been lacking for some time now – only appeared after he was unable to finalize a move during the transfer window. If I was in Mancini's shoes, I wouldn't take him back.

Why can't we give him his dummy back as he seems to need it, banish him to the dressing room and wait for a reasonable offer from another club to take on his childish and disruptive influence. He thought he would get another club offer while off playing Golf, sorry Carlos the world has grown up and left you on the sidelines Hooray. If he does get another game I would really like the whole stadium to go deathly quiet every time he touched the ball or even boycott a game as soon as he was brought on the field. If he does get another game please let him have a shirt without a City badge so he could not do the patting and kissing the badge routine, which would be as sincere as his apology isn't.

No player is bigger than the team, that is a fact. Can you imagine the opinions of the other players at the club who have been playing 2 games a week for months, battling to bring silverware to the club and then Tevez strolls back in... I could see it causing upset within the city camp, especially how they're already so many ego's at that club.

I still can't get over the fact how City rejected a 20million+ offer from both of the Milan clubs, for a player who has grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons. Selling him will not be a problem if they become more realistic about what clubs are going to be willing to pay for him.

Tevez helped the club when there was no top start . .
Yes he goofed and any good player would feel such when you are benched week-in week-out and will ask for transfer.
He has apologised, forgive and lets go . . .
whether he is match-rusty or not is for mancini to decide

Are all that phrases: "forgive and forget", "everybody makes a mistake", etc. etc. etc. applicable too to a player unfairly jugded and hardly punished for never proved racial insults? You know who am talking about.

Tevez is a jack*** and he deserves no mercy for his arrogant and foolish behavior. I think the ball is completely in his court and he realizes that the his attitude is not helping his bank balance, neither is he getting any younger. So he came back wagging his tail being all apologetic for his misdeeds. But as they say in Hindi "Kutte ki dum, teri ki teri", meaning, a dog's tail will never straighten regardless of all your efforts to straighten it :)....

"So Carlos Tevez has come crawling back to England, offering apologies to his club Manchester City."

I laugh off the way you started this article Mr. Morley. Just you know first of, Tevez did not come back. Mancini realized the importance of Tevez in the squad so he said that he could use Tevez if he comes back.That statement of Mancini was in in complete contrast to his prior announcement. Of course after coming to Man City he had to apologize to the fans.

yes he has had to eat humble pie. he acted stupidly and he has now done what was asked. will probably still go at the end of the season but for now let him prove himself back on the pitch. you just know he will probably come on as a sub v utd and snatch the winner to give us the title.............its a funny old game!!!!!!

The apology is long overdue. But i think it's coming after virtually all the club he courted rejected him. I don't know what i would have done if i were in Mancini's shoes, but i believe its commonsense to let bygone be and focus on a promising future with or without Tevez. No doubt he is a good player but he is letting his attitude get over him.

Don't forget that Mancini is an intelligent chap and he is probably using Tevez to increase the competition for a place as striker. If you think about it Tevez has a few weeks to full match fitness and most of the City team are far too professional to let it stop them this year.

The biggest boost as far as the players are concerned is getting Yaya Toure back from Africa Cup. I've followed City for 30 years.....!

Of course Tevez should be allowed to come back and play for city. He is a world class player and needs to show that if Man City want to sell him in the summer. If he doesn't play he will get fatter and fatter and no one will want to buy him. What if Aguero and Balotelli get injured wouldn't it be a good idea to play Tevez? This is a no brainer..

No doubt he made mistakes off the pitch. If however you look at what he has done on the pitch no matter where he played, he always leaves it on the field. That is what counts! He never is a slacker on the picth. He wears his passion on his sleeve (dont believe me see videos of his goals against River Plate and or when he was in Brazil and how he won many over with his play). Perhaps there are more things than we know what went on to make this all happen. Who really cares, all I know is when he is on the picth all he thinks of is the team and winning. What more can you ask for from a player. Let him play!

Why not accept his apology? We know the kind of character he is, but that doesn't take away from the contribution he can make on the field. Use him the way he's used the club by having him available during the title run-in. Why not? - you're paying his wages. A player of his talents can make the difference, even if only coming off the bench. Then once the EPL is signed, sealed and delivered, review your options and consider shipping him out in the summer. The ball's in City's court now. He has to prove himself and anything positive that comes of that process is all to the club's benefit.

Anything – Anyone – Anyhow to beat Man. Utd. but seriously if Carlos can contribute to a Championship and not be a detriment to a vastly talented team, I suggest that he be given a chance to prove 1) that he is truly sincere, 2) That he understands that his team-mates – fans are deserving of his commitment to them. If there is no change than at the end of the season let him go.

Mancity and Macini have just poved Tevez right. He won the FA trophy for them,but they rewarded him by frustrating his carrier when he requested for a transfer. Even Macini lied against him saying that he refused to play, but he could not prove it before the investigating panel. They still went ahead to purnish Tevez even when his warming up to play was captured on that days match vidio. Now they are afraid they may not win the league they want him back even after saying his carrier is finished without trier. Is that not treating a person like a dog? IF THEY LOVED HIM THEY WOULD HAVE SOLD HIM, Wenger did it for FRABAGAS & Nasri. That is love and good team management not selfishness.

tevez deserves another chance as a professional footballer to redeem himself and man city's hopes of winning the premier league title. he will b an added asset in the mid-field / striker position in order to keep constant pressure on defenses such as man. united / liverpool / tottenham/ chelsea/ arsenal, so man. city and mancini plz do the right thing and retain tevez he is a great person who has served u well in the past and a proven winner.

Get rid of him. He is a disgrace. He has only said sorry because he did not get a move and his salary was being withheld. For football mercenary read Carlos Tevez. Disgusting man who has not even tried to learn the language where he has been earning his money

if the club take Tevez's appology, is good because i believe this is internal issue, the main rootcause of all missunderstanding,only the couch knw, we re only speculating with little infors, after all Carlos is a good player

Man City is playing stylish, winning football. Taking back Tevez would be a huge mistake!!! Besides his unpredictable temperment, the guy is a selfish footballer who plays with his head down, lacks vision and rarely passes to teammates. Plays like a bull in a china shop. Man City needs more players like David Silva and none like Carlos Tevez. Allowing Carlos to return just might cost them a title.

I think Mancini should accept TEVEZ again so that the team's spirit can be boosted again. Remember Tevez still have friends in the club that still need him and by bringing him again this will heal the woonds in their minds. I believe TEVEZ will put on his best performance in any game that he will be featured in because he want to buy the fans back. I believe he will score important goals for the team inorder to help them win the title for this season.

Give the Argentinian a chance he may have realized that man city is the place he need to be now forget all his demands and disrespectful behaviour let Mancini put him in the team he will certainly deliver i am sure of that

City can sign Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney and they still wouldn't lift the trophy. Why? Because the problem is with Mancini. Here is a guy who would rather favor his Italian lover Balotelli to lead the attack with Aguero (Which fails) while sidelining Dzeko who has been scoring most away goals for City and is the second top scorer in the team. He also tries to force City to play like Barcelona while it is clearly not their style with players like Aguero, Silva, De Jong, Toure and others. Next he messes with the formation and cannot decide which one to stick with. He also destroys players morale by refusing or delaying giving players a chance in the XI like Johnson. Mancini will now crawl back to Tevez and further make them the laughing stock of Europe.

So, two unlucky 1-0 dfaeets and City are faltering? Let's not mention the fact that City won ALL of the previous 6 games that they played then, or the fact that the Swansea defeat (in which City had the most chances incidentally) was an away game immediately following a European away game!

So Tevez has started scoring in serious manner......give him plenty of matches to play.....rather than time for him to sit on bench and think. Tevez, Aguero, Silva and Nasri can really turnaround things for City.

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